The influence of an extra flush of pasture before and during mating on the performance of beef cows on hill country

D.C. Smeaton, T.K. Wadams, H-U. P. Hockey

Whatawhata Hill Country Research Centre, Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, Hamilton

Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production. 1982, 42: 79-82

Cow live weight after calving was positively associated with increasing feed levels although the differences were small to non-significant by weaning. There were no reproductive responses to feeding better than the allowance of 10 kg DM/cow/d from calving to mating and 16 kg DM/cow/d thereafter to weaning. Cows fed 16 kg Dm/cow/d had a higher pregnancy rate (100 v 90%) than those fed 12 kg DM from calving to mating regardless of flushing treatment in 1979.;

More reliable reductions in interval to first oestrus can probably be achieved by delaying calving date.

Treatment had no effect on calf weight at weaning.

Keywords: NZSAPAB;